In 1998, [[Seagram]] acquired [[PolyGram]] for $10.4 billion.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/seagram-buys-polygram-from-philips-for-106bn-1158030.html|title=Seagram buys PolyGram from Philips for $10.6bn|date=May 22, 1998|website=independent.co.uk|access-date=April 4, 2018}}</ref> PolyGram's music business was merged into Seagram's [[MCA Records]]. The merger was effected in January 1999, forming a new company named [[Universal Music Group]]. The merger also included both record labels' music publishers.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=J-Pim7dBEHEC&q=polygram+music+publishing&pg=PA4|title=CMJ New Music Report|first=CMJ Network|last=Inc|date=March 22, 1999|publisher=CMJ Network, Inc.|access-date=April 4, 2018|via=Google Books}}</ref> The PolyGram catalog included [[Dick James Music]], [[Welk Music]], Cedarwood Publishing, and [[Stig Anderson|Sweden Music]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Hardy|first=Phil|title=Nickels & Dimes: Music Publishing & It's Administration in the Modern Age|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ARhbAwAAQBAJ&pg=PT174|date=2014-03-17|publisher=Omnibus Press|isbn=978-0-85712-877-5|page=174}}</ref> MCA had been in the music publishing business since 1964, when it acquired [[Lou Levy (publisher)|Lou Levy]]'s Leeds Music.<ref>{{Cite news| issn = 0362-4331| title = MCA BUYS LEEDS, MUSIC PUBLISHER; Entertainment Concern Gets Assets and Copyrights| work = The New York Times| access-date = 2018-12-29| date = 1964-11-26| url = https://www.nytimes.com/1964/11/26/archives/mca-buys-leeds-music-publisher-entertainment-concern-gets-assets.html}}</ref>
